Preparation time: 5 minutes. Baking time: 30 minutes. Oven temperature: 325 degrees.

Use butternut, acorn, hubbard, or any of the yellow winter squashes for this dish. It is excellent if you blend a variety of squashes, including pureed cooked pumpkin. Just be sure the squash is cooked and well drained before you continue preparing spiced squash.

For 4 servings you will need:

4 c. cooked, pureed winter squash
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. ground coriander
1/4 tsp. ground mace
1/4 tsp. ground ginger
2 tbsp. all-purpose flour
2 tbsp. butter, melted
1/2 c. brown sugar, well packed
1/4 c. fine bread crumbs
3 tbsp. butter, melted

TIPS: This dish can be prepared ahead and refrigerated overnight.

PREPARATION: Mix the squash with the salt, coriander, mace, ginger and flour. Turn into a buttered 1-quart shallow casserole. Drizzle with 2 tablespoons melted butter. Sprinkle evenly with brown sugar. Mix the bread crumbs with the 3 tablespoons melted butter. Sprinkle over the squash. (Recipe may be made ahead to this point and refrigerated.) Bake at 325 degrees for 30 minutes or until crumbs are golden and sugar has melted.

Good served with: Roast chicken or turkey or roast duck with spicy prunes, and wild or brown rice. For a festive holiday meal, serve with sparkling burgundy or a hearty Cabernet Sauvignon, if you like.

For 2 servings: Half of the ingredients. For 8 servings: Double the ingredients but use only 4 tablespoons melted butter and 1/3 cup bread crumbs.